Julia Phelps, executive vice president and chief communications and corporate marketing officer at Paramount Global, is retiring after nearly 20 years with the company and its predecessor, Viacom.
Mr. Phelps has long worked with Bob Bakish, who was fired as CEO of the company last month and replaced by a three-person executive committee. Phelps said in a memo to his team Friday that he will leave Paramount at the end of May. (Read the full memo below.)
According to Phelps' memo, the company's marketing and communications group will initially report to Brian Robbins, president and CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon. Robbins will be joined by George Cheeks, president and CEO of CBS, and Chris McCarthy, president and CEO of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks. He is one of the executive troika of the company's “CEO Office”.
Paramount Global's senior leadership changes come amid uncertainty over the future of the parent company of CBS, Paramount Pictures, Paramount+, Pluto TV and cable networks including Comedy Central, BET, MTV and Nickelodeon. Paramount Global's board of directors and controlling shareholder Shari Redstone were negotiating with David Ellison's Skydance Media about a deal to merge Paramount and Skydance. However, a 30-day exclusive negotiation period with Skydance expired last month without an agreement. Meanwhile, Sony Pictures and private equity giant Apollo teamed up on a proposed $26 billion takeover of Paramount Global, but Sony is now “reconsidering” its offer to buy the entire company, CNBC reported this week. .
Mr. Phelps joined Viacom in 2005 from New York-based agency DeVries Public Relations. Prior to his latest role, he served as Viacom's vice president of communications, culture and marketing. He took over this role in April 2017 after working in communications roles in Viacom's international operations.
Phelps is originally from Canada and holds a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Victoria in British Columbia and a master's degree in strategic communications from Columbia University.
Phelps' departure from Paramount Global was previously reported by THR.
Read her notes.
Posted by: Julia Phelps
Subject: Our Team
Hello team,
I am writing to share the news that I will be leaving Paramount at the end of this month.
Paramount lives up to its name in every way. We have unparalleled storytelling, iconic brands, unforgettable pop culture moments, and most of all, the most passionate, smart, and fun people we dream of working with.
Over 20 years in a variety of roles, I have been fortunate to work with some of the best people around the world. I'm incredibly proud of the work we've done together to tell our story, shine a spotlight on creativity, drive business transformation and build culture during a time of unprecedented change.
Every time I step into this role, there seems to be a huge task ahead, including the merger and integration of Viacom and CBS, the launch of Paramount+, the rebranding to Paramount Global, and navigating the pandemic into a new world. Masu. Examples of hybrid work, just to name a few. Each of these projects requires close collaboration with partners in communications, marketing, creative, events, finance, government relations, human resources, investor relations, legal, global inclusion, and thoughtful employee engagement. Involvement was required. Stakeholders and communities. We are the group that can help launch a streaming service in over 45 countries and help plan a global community day that brings together 7,300 employees to perform his 18,000 hours of service simultaneously. Our high-stakes, unwavering teamwork has been an incredible accomplishment, and I hope you will be proud as we move into a new era for our company.
I don't need to tell you that I have a great relationship with Crystal, Sue, Justin, Cheryl, Steven, Josh, and Mark. For the time being, MarComms will report to Brian Robbins until the group structure is finalized. I will be working at the company until the end of this month to ensure a smooth transition and hope to connect with you all along the way.
Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do for Paramount, and for everything you have done for me personally and professionally. I am always grateful.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Julia
